Global Editors Network launches under former WEF leaders

The Global Editors Network, a new international network for editors working on all platforms, launches today with a new board of academics, editors and executives from news outlets across the world.

The new network is headed by former World Editors Forum (WEF) president Xavier Vidal-Folch, deputy director of Spanish newspaper El Pais and former WEF vice-president Harald Stanghelle, political editor of the Norway's largest newspaper, Aftenposten. Both resigned their positions with WEF but remain on the forum's board.

Launching today the GEN announced its final 22 board members, which include David Cohn, spot.us; Jeff Jarvis, buzzmachine.com and City University of New York associate professor; Al Trivino, News International and Wilfried Ruetten, European Journalism Center. A full list of the 22 members can be found at the end of this article.

The GEN also announced the first of its study tours, which will run under two categories; Newsroom Strategy and Geopolitical.

The first tour will be geopolitical, focusing on the Arab world following the recent uprisings and will take place in Cairo from 6 to 9 June. The final programme of the tour will be released on 20 April.

The network has pledged to hold its first annual conference by the end of 2011 at which it expects to draw in more than 500 participants. It will also set up an Editors' Lab where editors and developers can work together to develop new tools and produce news apps to be offered to network members and partners.

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